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March 03, 2008
Western MA: Governor's Bond Bill Could Add 56 More Cells for Women at Chicopee Jail
"Hampden County Sheriff Michael J. Ashe Jr. originally planned for a 176-cell facility, but project delays and rising costs resulted in a smaller facility. The governor's bond bill filed in January includes funding for county jails, including the women's jail here. If approved, an additional 56 cells could be added."
Chicopee gets 2nd check from state for jail
by The Republican Newsroom
Friday February 29, 2008
By HOLLY ANGELO
CHICOPEE - The city was presented a check for $960,000 from the state today that represents mitigation costs associated with locating the new $26.1 million Western Massachusetts Regional Women's Correctional Center in Chicopee.
"The city has realized a good deal in terms of a state investment in that project," Wagner said.
The city received $1.34 million from the state for selling the land on Center Street, where the 120-cell jail opened in September. Legislation passed 12 years ago included mitigation costs for communities where jails are constructed. Under the legislation, host communities receive $10,000 for each medium-security cell. The women's jail here has 96 medium-security cells and 24 minimum-security cells, which adds up to $960,000.
Bissonnette said the money will go into the city's stabilization fund.
"This really is representational of a win-win situation," Bissonnette said. "It was a difficult development site. The state made a commitment to dig into the side of that hill."
The 210-bed facility is a regional partnership between the Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin and Berkshire sheriff's departments, but is operated by the Hampden County sheriff's department.
Most of the women are there because of non-violent offenses, such as property crimes, prostitution and drugs. Before the jail opened, the female inmates were housed at the Hampden County Correctional Center in Ludlow, where they were outnumbered 10 to 1 by male inmates.
Knapik praised the state for getting the mitigation funds to the city in a timely manner. In the past, there has been a lag time of two, three or four years, he said. Ludlow was given $10 million for opening the jail there in 1992.
"We like to do what we can to make sure those resources are brought back to Western Massachusetts," Knapik said.
The city could get more mitigation money if the state funds an expansion of the jail.
Hampden County Sheriff Michael J. Ashe Jr. originally planned for a 176-cell facility, but project delays and rising costs resulted in a smaller facility. The governor's bond bill filed in January includes funding for county jails, including the women's jail here. If approved, an additional 56 cells could be added.
http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/02/chicopee_gets_2nd_check_from_s.html
Posted by lois at March 3, 2008 09:47 AM